Philippians 4:4-9 Anxious For Nothing Part 2

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Clarissa Jordan
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1 Philippians 4:4-9 Anxious For Nothing Part 2 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Are you an anxious person? Do you suffer from Anxiety? Often feel overwhelmed? A)You are not ALONE! B)An estimated 40 million Americans suffer some form of anxiety disorder. 1)That is 18% of all American adults. C)And over the last three decades anxiety disorders have jumped more than 1,200%? Amazing. The World Mental Health Survey initiative studied 14 countries around the world- ANXIETY A)They determined that AMERICA had the most anxious people in the 14 countries that were studied. B)A few of the other countries in the study were Nigeria Lebanon, and Ukraine 1)Three countries known to be troubled hot spots and yet America is more Anxious C)Someone said: the United States of America is the undisputed champion of anxiety and worry. 1)If Anxiety were an Olympic sport we would take home the gold medal We noted in our study last week The Word Anxious or Anxiety consist of two greek words A)The first word means to tear or to divide the second word means the Mind B)so the definition = to tear or to divide the mind. 1)Anxiety takes your mind in two different directions C)AND James the Double minded man is unstable in all his ways. D)Anxiety is a thief. 1)It steals your thoughts. It steals your peace. It steals your confidence. It steals your joy. The thing that is interesting about the problem of Anxiety in this country is many - Psychologist don t see a cure A)Instead they say - The goal is to make Anxiety a healthy, manageable part of our lives. B)So The very best the world can do for you is to help you manage your anxiety. C)I am not satisfied with that and JESUS isn t either The Lord doesn t want you to learn how to manage your Anxiety the Lord wants us to have VICTORY over it. A) Which is why Paul can say so confidently in verse 6, be anxious for nothing. B) That's a command - It's put in the present active imperative. It has a strong emphasis 1)he writes this in a very strong manner. I command you. Stop worrying, C)Remember: Paul is writing from a Roman Prison cell where he is waiting for his impending death 1)If anyone had a reason to be stressed out it would have been Paul D)But He wasn t He knew that God was in control of his life and situation 1)He writes confidently Be anxious for nothing! This is what Paul understood God s Cure for Anxiety is what we could call - Replacement Therapy A)It is about FOCUS What are we going to focus our HEARTS AND thoughts on?

2 B)God s cure for worry and Anxiety is to redirect your energy and thoughts 1)To replace your anxiety with something else! C)How do you Replace your Anxiety? #1 Rejoice in the Lord! IN THE LORD FOCUS ON JESUS A)EXACTLY what the apostle Paul does as he writes from Prison B)There are 104 verses in Philippians and Paul mentioned Jesus forty times. 1)At an average of every 2.5 verses, Paul was talking about Christ. C)Don t focus on the mess focus on the Master! 1)Don t focus on the problem but focus on the one who is bigger than the PROBLEM REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS: WHY? #1 He is Sovereign He is all powerful He upholds all things by the word of His power! A)He is big enough and strong enough to handle your problems REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS: WHY? #1 He is Sovereign- #2 Because He is NEAR A)He is not off in some distance place preoccupied by something else B)Never leave you nor forsake you Holy Spirit is in you! REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS: WHY? #1 He is Sovereign- #2 Because He is NEAR #3 He cares A)Casting all your cares upon Him because he cares for you! 1 Peter 5:7 B)God is into you Thoughts more than the sand Not thoughts of evil but good future and hope C)Hope an Absolute expectation of coming good 1)Hope is the opposite of anxiety D)People get anxious and overwhelmed even to the point of attempting suicide don t see any hope! 1)Kate Spade Anthony Bourdin Robin Williams E)God wants us to know THERE IS HOPE HIS NAME IS JESUS 1)AND Wasn t just Paul and Peter who talked this way - JESUS HIMSELF MATTHEW 6:25 sermon on the MT He says Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. PROVISION A)People worry about enough income at the end of the month- pay bills / provide B)Have enough SS when I am ready to collect? C)Don t worry about Provision Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one [a] cubit to his [b] stature? Don't misunderstand what Jesus is saying. He's not saying kick back and be lazy! A)Birds don't do that, - they are busy every day working to find food B) worms don t fall out of the sky Working to find food, building nest caring for their young 1)But the birds are always singing! Ever seen a stressed out BIRD? C)THERE WAS THIS TALKING PARROT Burglar broke into his house 1)Parrot says: Stop Jesus is watching The burglar stopped flashed light direction of the voice D)Saw it was a parrot Parrot said again stop Jesus is watching 1)Burglar thought how stupid that is supposed to scare me flashed the light a little further down E)Below the parrot was a big Doberman then the parrot said Sic him JESUS Birds are never stressed never worrying always singing Why?

3 A)Jesus said: Your heavenly father feeds them note this Jesus didn t say their heavenly father B)This is the point - Mark the language. He didn't say their Heavenly Father feeds them, 1)because he's not their Heavenly Father. C)They don't have a personal relationship with God, but he's YOUR Heavenly Father. 1)You have a personal relationship with the Father. D)Your Father feeds birds -If your Father feeds birds, 1)then your Father is going to feed his children and take care of his children. E)There's a relationship there. - You are of more value to him than the birds! 1)He is powerful enough to take care of the birds Know this he is powerful enough to take care of you. Replacement Therapy - 1st Rejoice in the Lord A)Focus on the master not the Mess B) 2nd part of replacement Therapy is to Bring your REQUEST TO HIM! C)Because He is Sovereign and He is near not busy and because he cares 1)_BRING YOUR PROBLEMS TO GOD! 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. I was reminded me of a guy who was a worry wart. A)Know anybody like that? Always playing the what if game what is this happens what if that. B)Well this guy worried about everything and Everybody knew he was a worry wart 1)He always kind of had that down look, carried the weight of world on his shoulders, C)Always very negative about everything, worried about absolutely everything. Well one day He came to work one day singing, and whistling, and smiling. A)What is up with Charlie? B)Everybody wondered, what happened to this guy? 1)And he said, you guys, know I'm a worry wart. C)I came up with a great plan to cure my worry! 1)Now everyone was intrigued He said I realized I need to hire somebody to worry for me. A)And I found just the perfect person. He seems very qualified. I'm hiring him to do all of my worrying. B)I'm paying him $200,000 a year- which might sound like a steep price. 1)But $200,000 a year is worth it, if he can take all my worries. C)His co-workers looked at him and said, are you an idiot? 1)you don't even make a third of that.- How are you going to pay this guy 200K to worry for you? D)Charlie says - I don't know. That's his worry. E)THIS IS different you are giving your problems to someone who can handle them 1)Someone who loves you immensely AND IT IS FREE! Lets take a close look at what Paul is saying here A)He mentions 3 words in conjunction with giving our problems to God Prayer/ supplication/ request Prayer: Worship and Devotion A)This is Interesting Paul keeps coming back to this idea of worship. B)He already instructed us to Rejoice in the Lord always in V.4 C)He will cap off this idea in V.6 - but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; D)He keeps bringing us back to this idea of Worship

4 1)Why is this so important? Worship and worry cannot coexist in the same heart. A)They are mutually exclusive. B)If you start worshipping, you're going to find your worries are going to diminish 1)But if you start worrying, you're going to find your worshipping WILL diminish. C)So Paul being inspired by the Holy spirit reminds us again and again 1)Focus on the greatness of God- Have a heart that is full of gratitude See, often we rush to the throne room. And we just start casting. A)Now, there's a time to cast the care upon God, and tell him, and cry out to him. B)There's a time for that, but not at first. C)Remember when Jesus taught his disciples to pray He said this is how you start. Our Father, {Intimacy and Devotion not God or Almighty Master father There is no prayer to God as Father in the Bible until Jesus. Once Jesus comes he says, Pray like this. Our Father. A)In the four gospels Jesus speaks of and prays to God as father 60 times. B)And the word that He uses here for father is ABBA We know that word means Daddy intimate expression. C)Jesus is teaching us here that Prayer is primarily about spending intimate time with God with Dad! 1)Slow down don t be in such a hurry D)Come to God as your Daddy! Intimacy/ devotion Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Great is your name Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven A)ALL OF THAT IS WORSHIP!!! B) ALL OF THAT is giving honor to God! C)It is not that God needs us to honor Him! 1)The point is we need to remember who He is! But not only is this Worship but it is also declaring our dependency and submission A)Lord I am inviting you to have your way in my life in this situation B)Your kingdom come Lord your Kingdom over my kingdom your way over my way. C)That is what is meant when Paul says With Prayer Devotion worship intimacy 1)Surrender and Submission The word supplication means to cry out with Emotion!- BE REAL A)Jesus always responds to desperate prayer in a positive way. B)I love the young mother, who got up early to have her morning devotions.. C)And she told her three-year-old, honey, I just need a little bit of time alone with God. 1)This is mommy's time. I'm having my devotions D)Well the phone rang and The three-year-old picked it up and said, mommy's busy. 1)She's having her emotions. E) I like her choice of words. There's a time to engage your emotion, your heartfelt cries. Supplication = to cry out w/ emotion - Some people are just way to formal in talking to God A)Come to him as Dad but Dad who is great and awesome and all powerful CRY OUT B)DAVID man AFTER God s own heart 1)A Pursuer of God s heart C)David was so honest Lord this stinks Lord knock my enemies teeth out Kill them 1)I think God smiles at that type of honesty D)Prayer = Devotion intimacy 1)Supplication = Heart felt Cry E)Request is just that request but this word carries the idea of specific request!

5 1)this is important not general God wants us to be specific! A)Luke 8 a blind man comes to Jesus and Jesus says - What do you want me to do for you? B)Isn t it obvious is Jesus Dense 1)Yet Jesus wanted to hear the man articulate his specific requests. C)See there is something to verbalizing and confessing 1)There is a release there is a dependency When the wedding ran low on wine, Mary wasn t content to say, Help us, Jesus. A)She was specific: They have no more wine (John 2:3 NIV). B)Jesus told a parable about prayer a man wakes his friend up in the night unexpected visitor 1)He needed food to entertain but the needy man didn t ask for food specific 3 loaves of bread C)Why does the Lord want us to be Specific? I want to give you 4 reasons. #1 Specific prayer is serious prayer: A)If I say to you, Do you mind if I come by your house sometime? you may not take me seriously B)But suppose I say, Can I come over this Friday night? 1)I have a problem at work, and I really need your advice. I can be there at seven. C)Then you know my petition is serious. When we offer specific requests, God knows the same. 2. Specific prayer is an opportunity for us to see God at work. A)When we see him respond in specific ways to specific requests, our faith grows. B)The book of Genesis relates the wonderful prayer of Abraham s servant. 1) He was sent to Mesopotamia, Abraham s homeland, to find a wife for Abraham s son. C)How does a servant select a wife for someone else? 1)This servant prayed about it. O LORD, God of my master, Abraham, he prayed. Please give me success today, and show unfailing love to my master, Abraham. See, I am standing here beside this spring, and the young women of the town are coming out to draw water. This is my request. I will ask one of them, Please give me a drink from your jug. If she says, Yes, have a drink, and I will water your camels, too! let her be the one you have selected as Isaac s wife. This is how I will know that you have shown unfailing love to my master. (Gen. 24:12 14 NLT) Could the servant have been more detailed? A)He asked for success in his endeavor. B)He envisioned an exact dialogue, and then he stepped forth in faith. 1)Scripture says, Before he had finished speaking, Rebekah appeared (v. 15 ISV). C)She said the words. SHE responded exactly the way he prayed 1)The servant had an answered prayer. He saw God at work. D)Why does the Lord want us to be Specific? 1. A specific prayer is a serious prayer. 2. Specific prayer is an opportunity for us to see God at work. 3. Specific prayer communicates our dependency. A)Many of our anxieties are threatening because they are ill defined and vague. B)It is one thing to pray, Lord, please bless my meeting tomorrow with my supervisor 1)It is another thing to pray, Lord, I have a meeting with my supervisor at 2:00 p.m. tomorrow. C)Lord you know how he intimidates me. Would you please grant me a spirit of peace so I can sleep tonight? D)Grant me wisdom so I can enter the meeting prepared. 1)And would you soften his heart toward me and give him a generous spirit? E)When you pray that way - You have reduced the problem into a prayer-sized challenge. 1. A specific prayer is a serious prayer.

6 2. Specific prayer is an opportunity for us to see God at work. 3. Specific prayer communicates our dependency. 4. Specific prayer stands on the Promises of God! A) God told The OT prophet Isaiah said, Put the Lord in remembrance of His promises keep not silence (Isaiah 62:6 AMPC). Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together (Isa. 43:26). B)God invites you yes, commands you to remind him of his promises. 1)Populate your prayer with You said... You said you would walk me through the waters You said you would lead me through the valley You said that you would never leave or forsake me Now it isn t that God needs to be reminded of his promises WE NEED THE REMINDERS A)God wants to be promise believers more so than trying to be promise KEEPERS B)Find a promise that fits your problem, and build your prayer around it. C)Great tool Bible pocket promise book 1)Promise for every need this has 25 promises Lord this is what You said this is who you are I am coming to you on that basis A)That type of prayer touches the heart of God! B)Replacement therapy Focus: not on the Mess but the Master MY DAD! HIS DEVOTION C)I am going to cry out to him IN honesty with Specific request that hinge upon HIS PROMISES The Result: 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Notice the phrase the peace OF God? A)Not every believer has that. B)Every believer when they come to faith in Christ has peace with God, 1)Move from rebellious enemies to friends His kids C)You see, peace with God is when you surrender. You put up the white flag. 1)And you say I'm done fighting you, God. D)I am done trying to find my fulfillment in life through doing MY THING! 1)I give my life to you, Jesus. E)Result is YOU HAVE THE PEACE OF GOD 1)FORGIVENESS FREEDOM FROM GUILT YOURS TODAY SO PEACE WITH GOD is one thing but the PEACE OF GOD is another thing A)IT IS A FEELING OF HIS PEACE flooding your heart B)Think of it this way. Jesus as Savior brings peace with God, 1)but Jesus as Lord brings the peace of God. C)The peace of God is that tranquil feeling of confidence and calm in the midst of the Storm that covers you. I love the way that Paul describes it here: A)The peace of God that surpasses understanding B)We so often seek peace that comes from understanding this surpasses it 1)It surpasses all understanding. It transcends human intellect, human analysis. C)The peace of God that surpasses ALL understanding will guard your heart AND MIND THRU CHRIST JESUS Jesus becomes like a guard He guards your heart and mind so that when Anxiety comes knocking HE SENDS IT AWAY! I LOVE ISAIAH 26:3 you will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. So As we close today these is the questions you must answer if you are going to have victory: A)What are you going to focus on? Mess or the Master?

7 B)The Problem of the God who is all powerful C)Who loves you who is your daddy who is interested in everything about you. D)Focus on him His power His love His care 2 nd Question: Are you going to try and carry the problem or will you give it to God? Your answer to those questions will determine if you have victory or remain overwhelmed Overwhelmed with Him or Overwhelmed with your problem It all boils down to choices to perspectives Pray

Vertical Church Series, Part 1 Jesus Teach Us to Pray, Part 1 Matthew 6:5-9

Vertical Church Series, Part 1 Jesus Teach Us to Pray, Part 1 Matthew 6:5-9 Today we are beginning a series on Prayer Calling it Vertical Church. A)Sometimes as believers and as a church we can spend a